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Jose Gomes said he was not concerned about losing a fourth time in seven games after the 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

But on reflection, the Reading manager's opinion may be slightly different when he looks at the Championship table.

Picking up seven points from a possible 21 is below par, make no statement about it. Yes, it is not as bad as some sides, but it's a way off where the club is aiming to be.

Reading's transfer activity over the summer was a statement of intent - bringing in a player with the calibre of George Puscas was meant to help the club take that next step. But at the moment, it's not going to plan and Gomes must take a large portion of responsibility.

He is the one who has mentioned the play-offs being the target come the end of the season and how he wants his side picking up an average of four points every two matches throughout the campaign.

The boss' decision to leave both Puscas and Lucas Joao on the bench from the start at the Riverside raised plenty of eyebrows.

Admittedly, as the boss pointed out post match, the pair were poor in the previous game against Charlton Athletic, but that was two weeks ago.

Puscas played over the international break and scored so had some good momentum and belief while Joao was fresh after a two-week break.

Leaving two players out who cost more than £12m was a brave call and one that did not pay off for Gomes.

It's a high-risk game he is playing. And the decision to take off a defender and a midfielder for them, meaning there were four strikers on the pitch, gave the impression he was going gung-ho despite having half an hour to play on Teesside.

There were arguments, scuffles and protests in the technical area - thankfully there were no actual blows but they didn't seem far off.

Perhaps this shows the pressure is getting to Gomes. He was not helped by the referee and some very questionable decisions and he is often very good at not blaming an official after a game.

But in the heat of the moment, he must concentrate all his efforts on helping the players produce on the field and the team obtain results.

By the end, Reading could not wait to get off the field and on the bus home. There was even an incident post match between goalkeeping coach Rui Santos and a member of the grounds staff which saw them argue for several minutes.

It epitomised a thoroughly bad day at the office for Reading, no doubt about it. They did play well in parts but that counts for nothing when the opposition score more than you do - a similar scenario in the Charlton game.

Gomes and his squad now have a free week to work on their game in all areas. It needs improvement and a home game with Blackburn presents a perfect opportunity to get back on track.

Middlesbrough 1 Reading 0

Any slip-up, however, could be hugely costly with a trip to leaders Swansea City around the corner.

The best case scenario is they pick up maximum points and are pushing towards the top six. The worst case scenario is that they could find themselves dragged into the bottom three if they continue to stutter.

Whatever happens, it is a crucial period for Reading. You only need to look back at previous seasons to see how a poor start can affect an entire season.

It may be early, but there is little room for many more slip-ups by Reading.